Ambitious

I just got back from visiting my friend Melynie at her new home outside D.C. If you don't already read her blog, you should take a look to check out the projects they're working on.

They've moved into a house that they're basically completely re-doing. It's been less than 2 weeks and the entire second floor is almost all painted - trim, ceilings, the works. They've also stripped wallpaper, built an upstairs laundry room, wired new lighting, rebuilt a family room wall and painted it. The plumber is coming tomorrow; the new kitchen cabinetry, Friday; the carpeting, Saturday. The kitchen tile floor is in the garage waiting for the weekend. There's talk of all new bathrooms, landscaping, a guest room in the basement, etc. Their stuff is in storage until they call for it, so until then, the kids have a loveseat, TV, and a few bins of toys in the finished basement and air mattresses in their bedrooms. Brad goes to work everyday, comes home, works like a contractor until 1:30 or 2 am, sleeps for a few hours, and repeats the cycle. Melynie entertains the kids (3 - all under the age of 7), tries to keep some semblance of order at home, schedules fall activities for the kids (who don't really know anyone yet), meets the neighbors, cleans, paints, strips wallpaper like a maniac all day until the wee hours...and she's about 3 months pregnant!!!

Ryan and I have always been ambitious with our home projects, but these people are insane! :)
I can't wait to hear that they can relax and sit down on furniture some day in the near future. Phew!

It was great to see them, though! They live in a beautiful community with a school within walking distance and a resort-like community pool. The house is actually really, really nice - they just decided to do everything they'll want to do all at once so they can enjoy it for the next few years that they'll live there. The girls enjoyed a swim, dinner at Red Robin (the big bird was even there in person!), and a sleepover. Melynie and I painted the master bedroom after the kids were asleep. It was fun to chat and be productive at the same time!

Fresh From My Garden

Here's Frankie!

My mom and dad got a new puppy yesterday, much to the sheer delight of their two grand-daughters. He's part shih tzu, part poodle. Mom insists that he's called a "shipoo" (sounds kind of like shampoo), but the rest of us had quite a laugh over what else his breed might be called...
Anyway, they've been trying to adopt through shelters and rescues for a few weeks and have become disillusioned with the whole process. They found Frankie in the paper and he happened to be right around the corner from them. "I found the dog I'm supposed to have", my mom announced yesterday. And here he is...

Goodbye Baleigh and Mckenna

Moving Day

My good friend, Melynie, and her family is moving today. Brad is in the Air Force, and we met them 7 years ago when they lived here for three years. Now they've lived in several other places, but have been back here for the past year. We knew it would only be a short stay, and we've loved having them and picking up where we left off. That only makes it harder to say goodbye. I can handle Melynie and I saying goodbye - knowing that we'll talk on the phone probably even later today and they're only going to the DC area this time. It's the five little girls between the two of us saying goodbye that breaks my heart.
Their family stayed here last night, so the girls enjoyed a giant slumber party. Right now the girls are chillin' with some morning TV while their parents are cleaning their empty old house. Aren't they cute?

We miss you already!

Typical Monday

This goes under the chapter "Never A Dull Moment" in the story of my life. Emma, Trudy and I were putting something away in the basement today, and we were quite surprised to see a bird flying around our basement! It was not a tiny sparrow, but about as big as a large robin. Trudy thought it was great fun to chase. We came up to get the net and when I returned to the basement, armed, I couldn't find it.
I knew it was there, because I closed the door, but I spent most of the day looking all over and never found it. (I did, however, at one point step on Trudy's squeaky ball and have a mild coronary!) I even enlisted the help of Emma, Lila, and Trudy - no bird sightings.
Just before Ryan came home tonight, I went to the basement for BBQ sauce. There she was - perched on some artificial flowers in my storage area - the poor confused little bird. Aha! I closed the door. Now I knew which part of the basement she was in. We were afraid that she'd end up stuck behind the wall or ceiling of the finished side and we'd eventually have a bad odor problem to solve.
So when my brave husband got home, he put on his gloves, picked up his net, and off he went. I, of course, had to supervise. So picture him swinging wildly in the air with a butterfly net and me squatting and pointing with my hands over my head. We both found it pretty funny. He caught it and held it in the net so the girls could see before she flew so very happily into the tree in our yard.
Never a dull moment.

Sewing Project

While we were visiting Gramma, she gave Emma some sewing lessons. Emma loved picking out the fabric and learning every step of the process. She couldn't wait to finish and was SO proud of her work. Gramma says she was fast learner and did an amazing job! She made pajama pants - capri length with a pocket on the front and a border on the bottom - fancy!

Washington Trip - Part Two

The second half of our trip was just as action-packed as the first. We were sad to see our cousins go home, but enjoyed time with Gramma and Papa. Here are a few more highlights:

The cousins' rock band - I won't bore you with the video, but it's priceless! They wrote an original song entitled "Homestead Here We Come" about all of the things we get to do at the reunion - cutest thing ever!

My hard-working girls - Gramma and Papa need a lot of wood to keep warm all winter long!

They were glad to help.

Couer D'Alene, ID has an awesome art festival every year. It's a gorgeous town and not too far, so we like to go.

Gramma and Papa at the park

There is a section where the kids can do hands on art...

...and jugglingRyan an Papa watching the girls swim

I thought the beautiful water was a little chilly for swimming...

...but they didn't!

Back at Gramma and Papa's town park:
Ryan affectionately calls this one, "the death cage". There are also other pieces of dangerous "old-school" playground equipment - a parent's nightmare to supervise!

Picking huckleberries that we later put in our pancakes and ice cream - yum!

Cousin time with Kristyn

A family ride through the forest in "Howard" the pink car

We went swimming in the Columbia River

The girls got to brush and ride Elizabeth's horse, Aurora.

Elizabeth taught Emma how to ride by herself - she thought she was one of the "Saddle Club Girls" for sure!

Click on this one to enlarge it and see how big that smile is!

We had a wonderful trip full of fun and memories (and a few too many calories). Thank you Gramma and Papa for everything!

Now I'm trying to get my act together at home - less than a month until school starts!

Vacation in Washington

Since I could never write about all of our vacation happenings, here is a photo journal of sorts...

Lila was SO excited to see her Papa in the airport - she ran right past Gramma!

So happy to get to Gramma and Papa's house!

We started out our vacation with a big family reunion at the Homestead. This is the property where Ryan's great-grandparents settled from Germany. It is also the same acreage where his grandparents lived and began their family (Nancy is their second of 4 children). It looks just like Little House on the Prairie and the girls love to hear what it was like for their gramma to grow up here.
Extended family from all over comes to camp here this weekend. We're fortunate enough to have Gramma and Papa's beautiful home about a mile away! The four of us did camp one night this year, and the girls' thought it was terrific!

Cousins on "the big rock"

An appropriate bone-tiara for my non-traditional princess

Lila and her newfound friend/cousinLila and Annika

Camping - good night girls!

Hiking - that's Uncle Erne in the background for those of you that prayed for his health a few months ago - amazing!

Watching the kids build a dam in the creek

Emma working hard on the kids' project

Ryan and his cousin, Kylan - quite a gene pool when Ryan's the short one!

After the reunion was over, we still had a few days to enjoy family time with Treva (Ryan's sister), Brian and their boys. Logan and Michael are in between our girls ages and the four of them had a blast this trip. They were old enough to really play together without the adults getting in the way - which was nice for everyone!

Everyone say "watermelon!"

Movie time
Cherry picking

Cherry tree climbing

The happiest girl in the world!

Michael showing Lila how to use a plastic recorder as a gun - she's very attentive!
Emma pushing Michael on Gramma's swing

Logan and Emma catching up - they only get to see each other once a year.

A tractor ride with Papa

That's what I have so far. I'll add more when I get a chance. We'll be home on Wednesday.